Lets discuss the duodenal Switch!
My DS 
My Dad was famous for all of his little sayings. It's funny how they seem to stick with you. 
Look at you go Jessy!!!! Keep it up, you're getting there and fast!
My WLS story started in 1980 when I had a gastric bypass / RNY done; I was 28 at the time. I did lose most of my excess weight, but after a year or two, I started to have to really work at it to keep the weight off. I did it though with diet and exercise for about 15 years. Looking back now, it was a pretty miserable existence, having to put up with the dumping if I ate the wrong thing or drank any milk; having dense proteins like steak or roast beef, or any kind of stringy or rough foods, like celery or rice stick in my stoma. At the time I just figured it was the price I had to pay to keep the weight off, so it didn't seem so bad.
Then in 1995-6 I discovered I had Hepatitis C; years earlier in the first year after surgery, some of the staples had pulled out and actually tore my stomach; I almost bled to death. I didn't realize I was bleeding internally and it wasn't until I passed out cold one morning that my DW took me to the doctor to find out what was going on. I was so low on blood, he was afraid I was going to have a stroke and they rushed me into the hospital and pumped a bunch of blood into me; I had IV's in both arms pushing cold blood into me. they didn't even take the time to warm it up. That transfusion saved my life; but also gave me the Hep C virus, we just didn't know it until 15 or 16 years later.
Because the only treatment for Hep C at the time was to take IM interferon shots every other day, that's what I did. Interferon is a powerful chemo-therapy and it makes you feel like you're coming down with a real bad flu; your joints are ache, you get a headache and just plain feel miserable every other day. The treatment was 1 year, so for a year, I just couldn't make myself exercise and I ate for comfort. Since the only foods I could eat that felt good and wouldn't stick or make me dump were soft high carb foods like pizza and pasta, that's what I ate. And I started to gain the weight back. I lost control during that year and never could get it back again. I ended up weighing the same as I did before I had the bypass / RNY done; 283.
I tried every diet that came down the pike; losing a few pounds, but always gaining them and a few more back. I developed high blood pressure, gout and sleep apnea; I was a real mess. I hated how I looked, I hated how I felt, I was miserable.
In 2007, I decided I had to do something drastic, or I was going to live the rest of my short live a miserable wreck, so I started checking out what my options were. I knew I didn't want any more RNY pouch crap, I had had more than enough of that, but what could I do? I looked into getting a band ~ blech, that wouldn't work. I did a barium swallow and had an upper GI endoscopy done and the surgeon who did it said I really needed a revision to a modern RNY. When I asked about the pouch and stoma; his answer told me I didn't want anything to do with a "modern RNY" as it would be more of the same pouch problems.
Then I stumbled onto the DS here on OH; Karen told me I should check it out and since I had never heard of the DS, I decided I should at least find out about it. As I read the posts on the DS forum, it became crystal clear to me that this was it; this was what I had been searching for. A WLS that would allow me to eat like a naturally thin person does and lose my excess weight and then maintain the loss. It seemed too good to be true, but I had to see if it was possible for me to get a revision to DS. The first 4 surgeons I spoke to indicated that a revision to DS would be too dangerous because of the old bypass / RNY and all the damage, scar tissue and adhesion's. Then I found Dr. Rabkin and his attitude was wonderful, he told me that it could be done, but that it would take a lot of patients and skill but that he had done a number of revisions like mine and he was confident he could do me. I scheduled my surgery date for ASAP and that was only 11 days from my initial consult with Dr. Rabkin.
I went into the OR on Sept. 17, 2008 at 7:00AM, the surgery took 8 1/2 hours because of all the damage, scar tissue and adhesion's, but I came through it OK. Things looked good, until I tried to eat a few ice chips; I could eat them or drink them, but everything that went into my new sleeve would come back up within an hour or so. I did two barium swallow tests over the next two days and nothing could get through my stomach / sleeve, so on the third day it was back into surgery. When Dr. Rabkin got me all opened up again, he discovered a scar tissue flap, from the old stomach tear that he had not seen before and that flap was sealing off my sleeve so nothing could get through. He removed the flap and put me all back together again. This second surgery took 4 1/2 hours.
I stayed in the hospital for 8 days and in San Francisco for another 4 days before I could go home to Utah. I was pretty miserable and I looked like death warmed over a bit, it was pretty bad. And my recovery was long and rough; I just couldn't get enough fluids in so I had to use my feeding tube for about 6 weeks to keep me hydrated. And it was about 2 months before I started feeling human again. Things improved quickly after that and have just gotten better and better. I truly love, love, love my DS. I'm 58 years old and for the first time in my life, I feel free; free from fat prison and RNY hell, free to eat like a normal person with no guilt; it's wonderful.
My only regret, is that I didn't do this 10 year earlier, I love my life nowadays, I can do anything, I feel like a young man again. Knowing all I had to go through, I would do it all again in a heartbeat to have what I have now; I never dreamed life could be like this.
Here's a few pictures of my WLS revision journey:
The night before surgery:
Me after the first surgery:
Me after the second surgery; notice the hose in my nose and picc line in my neck ~ I really hated that!
On the road to recovery now; I've lost about 50 pounds:
My first time water skiing in many year; OMG it was such a rush; I had forgotten how much I loved skiing:
My personal trainers; wow, they really helped my get my mojo back:
Another goal met; I got my Rotor - Craft endorsement and Commercial pilots license:
And here I am after swimming laps on morning a few weeks ago:
Did I mention; I love my DS? Well I do, it's the best thing I've ever done for me and it's right up there with marrying Barb; my wife of 36 years and having 4 really great kids.
I've never had diarrhea, but I can get loose stools if I go hog wild on the simple carbs, but that's a real rarity and something I have complete control over.
Kerry
My WLS story started in 1980 when I had a gastric bypass / RNY done; I was 28 at the time. I did lose most of my excess weight, but after a year or two, I started to have to really work at it to keep the weight off. I did it though with diet and exercise for about 15 years. Looking back now, it was a pretty miserable existence, having to put up with the dumping if I ate the wrong thing or drank any milk; having dense proteins like steak or roast beef, or any kind of stringy or rough foods, like celery or rice stick in my stoma. At the time I just figured it was the price I had to pay to keep the weight off, so it didn't seem so bad.
Then in 1995-6 I discovered I had Hepatitis C; years earlier in the first year after surgery, some of the staples had pulled out and actually tore my stomach; I almost bled to death. I didn't realize I was bleeding internally and it wasn't until I passed out cold one morning that my DW took me to the doctor to find out what was going on. I was so low on blood, he was afraid I was going to have a stroke and they rushed me into the hospital and pumped a bunch of blood into me; I had IV's in both arms pushing cold blood into me. they didn't even take the time to warm it up. That transfusion saved my life; but also gave me the Hep C virus, we just didn't know it until 15 or 16 years later.
Because the only treatment for Hep C at the time was to take IM interferon shots every other day, that's what I did. Interferon is a powerful chemo-therapy and it makes you feel like you're coming down with a real bad flu; your joints are ache, you get a headache and just plain feel miserable every other day. The treatment was 1 year, so for a year, I just couldn't make myself exercise and I ate for comfort. Since the only foods I could eat that felt good and wouldn't stick or make me dump were soft high carb foods like pizza and pasta, that's what I ate. And I started to gain the weight back. I lost control during that year and never could get it back again. I ended up weighing the same as I did before I had the bypass / RNY done; 283.
I tried every diet that came down the pike; losing a few pounds, but always gaining them and a few more back. I developed high blood pressure, gout and sleep apnea; I was a real mess. I hated how I looked, I hated how I felt, I was miserable.
In 2007, I decided I had to do something drastic, or I was going to live the rest of my short live a miserable wreck, so I started checking out what my options were. I knew I didn't want any more RNY pouch crap, I had had more than enough of that, but what could I do? I looked into getting a band ~ blech, that wouldn't work. I did a barium swallow and had an upper GI endoscopy done and the surgeon who did it said I really needed a revision to a modern RNY. When I asked about the pouch and stoma; his answer told me I didn't want anything to do with a "modern RNY" as it would be more of the same pouch problems.
Then I stumbled onto the DS here on OH; Karen told me I should check it out and since I had never heard of the DS, I decided I should at least find out about it. As I read the posts on the DS forum, it became crystal clear to me that this was it; this was what I had been searching for. A WLS that would allow me to eat like a naturally thin person does and lose my excess weight and then maintain the loss. It seemed too good to be true, but I had to see if it was possible for me to get a revision to DS. The first 4 surgeons I spoke to indicated that a revision to DS would be too dangerous because of the old bypass / RNY and all the damage, scar tissue and adhesion's. Then I found Dr. Rabkin and his attitude was wonderful, he told me that it could be done, but that it would take a lot of patients and skill but that he had done a number of revisions like mine and he was confident he could do me. I scheduled my surgery date for ASAP and that was only 11 days from my initial consult with Dr. Rabkin.
I went into the OR on Sept. 17, 2008 at 7:00AM, the surgery took 8 1/2 hours because of all the damage, scar tissue and adhesion's, but I came through it OK. Things looked good, until I tried to eat a few ice chips; I could eat them or drink them, but everything that went into my new sleeve would come back up within an hour or so. I did two barium swallow tests over the next two days and nothing could get through my stomach / sleeve, so on the third day it was back into surgery. When Dr. Rabkin got me all opened up again, he discovered a scar tissue flap, from the old stomach tear that he had not seen before and that flap was sealing off my sleeve so nothing could get through. He removed the flap and put me all back together again. This second surgery took 4 1/2 hours.
I stayed in the hospital for 8 days and in San Francisco for another 4 days before I could go home to Utah. I was pretty miserable and I looked like death warmed over a bit, it was pretty bad. And my recovery was long and rough; I just couldn't get enough fluids in so I had to use my feeding tube for about 6 weeks to keep me hydrated. And it was about 2 months before I started feeling human again. Things improved quickly after that and have just gotten better and better. I truly love, love, love my DS. I'm 58 years old and for the first time in my life, I feel free; free from fat prison and RNY hell, free to eat like a normal person with no guilt; it's wonderful.
My only regret, is that I didn't do this 10 year earlier, I love my life nowadays, I can do anything, I feel like a young man again. Knowing all I had to go through, I would do it all again in a heartbeat to have what I have now; I never dreamed life could be like this.
Here's a few pictures of my WLS revision journey:
The night before surgery:
Me after the first surgery:
Me after the second surgery; notice the hose in my nose and picc line in my neck ~ I really hated that!
On the road to recovery now; I've lost about 50 pounds:
My first time water skiing in many year; OMG it was such a rush; I had forgotten how much I loved skiing:
My personal trainers; wow, they really helped my get my mojo back:
Another goal met; I got my Rotor - Craft endorsement and Commercial pilots license:
And here I am after swimming laps on morning a few weeks ago:
Did I mention; I love my DS? Well I do, it's the best thing I've ever done for me and it's right up there with marrying Barb; my wife of 36 years and having 4 really great kids.
I've never had diarrhea, but I can get loose stools if I go hog wild on the simple carbs, but that's a real rarity and something I have complete control over.
Kerry
Long time, no see, Jessy! it's good to see you out here.
I'm nearing the 5 year mark post op. I've been floating around my goal of a size 8, which was a number I chose instead of weight. I went down to wearing a 6 sometimes to wearing a 10 sometimes today, still right around 8 in most things. I love my life, and aside from the skin that won't go away without a knife and a month off of work, I love my body, for it will do just about anything I ask of it.
Gas and diarrhea are definitely a result of what someone eats. We're more liberal with our eating, but I wouldn't compare it to reckless abandon or anything. it's reckless abandon that creates the problems.
I'm nearing the 5 year mark post op. I've been floating around my goal of a size 8, which was a number I chose instead of weight. I went down to wearing a 6 sometimes to wearing a 10 sometimes today, still right around 8 in most things. I love my life, and aside from the skin that won't go away without a knife and a month off of work, I love my body, for it will do just about anything I ask of it.
Gas and diarrhea are definitely a result of what someone eats. We're more liberal with our eating, but I wouldn't compare it to reckless abandon or anything. it's reckless abandon that creates the problems.
Valerie
DS 2005
There is room on this earth for all of God's creatures..
next to the mashed potatoes
Val, you were the one when I seen IRL that I wanted to be like. So healthy looking, Just the right size for a woman. I met you before my DS, and when I came home I told my husband I want to be a size 8 just like Val. I had a rough ride in the beginning with my DS, but if I look like you at 4 years out I'd say I've made it. Karen
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